More than a year after the release of its debut, Alabama Shakes finally came to Columbus last
night, fronted by the spectacular lead singer Brittany Howard, whose explosive vocals recall the
great soul and blues singers of the 1960s.

I had unrealistically hoped the Lifestyle Communities gig would echo an unforgettable moment in
the film of the 1967 Monterey International Pop Festival.

In one of the film’s highlights, Janis Joplin works out on
Ball and Chain, spitting her words as she stops and starts, digging deeper into the song’s
feeling and stomping her feet. The camera pans into the audience, where Mama Cass is shown
transfixed before her jaw reaches for the ground.

Unsurprisingly, Howard didn’t get there last night. But she had a few opportunities where I
thought she might.

She headed for it from the first crescendo of the opener,
Rise To The Sun. After a relaxed and soulful guitar intro, she crooned, the ballad just
waiting to explode. She didn’t stomp her feet, but testified like her life was on the line.

It was an energetic peak duplicated a few more times during the night, most notably early on
during
Always Alright, a track only found on the
Silver Linings Playbook soundtrack.

Between, the band played two of its biggest hits,
Hang Loose and
Hold On. Though they might have built the dramatic arc a little too high too early, it
reinforced the notion that the group’s music is built on classic, original soul songs.

The next best opportunity for Howard to find the Joplin moment came during the smoldering
Be Mine, where the singer seemed to channel Otis Redding — from the same festival.

The concert lagged in the middle, where too many slow songs didn’t keep the flame burning bright
enough. It was a conundrum that not only had to do with an ill-considered playlist, but also the
band. Like Joplin’s band, Howard’s is unimpressive. Unlike Big Brother and the Holding Company,
though, the Shakes seemed to fade into the background.

Still, a brief trio of rock ’n’ roll tunes not only showed that the group as a whole can swing,
but that it is searching for future directions. Hopefully, the second release will be as
groundbreaking as the first and provide a little more raw material. Though deadline called before
the encore, the show proper filled just an hour.

Houndmouth and Jonny Fritz opened the show, each with a set that covered a lot of Americana
music ground with rough abandon.